- Email: [email protected]
UK investment to accelerate introduction of hydrogen, fuel cells
NEWS with the ability to commercialize fuel cell products in large global markets. ‘The agreement with VPS strengthens Wärtsilä’s ability to provide its customers with clean and highly efficient power solutions,’ says Erkko Fontell, director of fuel cells at Wärtsilä. ‘Demand is developing rapidly and the commercial potential for such products is very promising.’ Wärtsilä is already running successful pilot projects using fuel cell technology supplied by the Danish SOFC developer Topsoe Fuel Cell, and this cooperation will continue as planned. Since 2008 Wärtsilä has been operating a WFC20 unit on landfill gas to produce electricity and heat in the Finnish city of Vaasa [FCB, March 2010]. Wärtsilä has also developed 50 kW WFC50 power units for internal validation. Power solutions based on fuel cell technology are expected to offer significant benefits in the shipping industry, where international emissions regulations are becoming increasingly stringent. Last summer, a WFC20 solid oxide unit – operating on methanol – was installed onboard the Wallenius Lines car carrier Undine, for tests within the METHAPU project [FCB, June 2010]. Contact: Erkko Fontell, Director – Fuel Cells, Wärtsilä Product Centre Ecotech, Espoo, Finland. Tel: +358 40 754 4389, Email: [email protected], www.wartsila.com Versa Power Systems Inc, Littleton, Colorado, USA. Tel: +1 303 226 0760, www.versa-power.com METHAPU project: www.methapu.eu
State activities keep US in global fuel cell race, says new report
A
new report by the non-profit information provider Fuel Cells 2000 confirms that America’s fuel cell footprint is still growing fast, strongly supported by state-level activities. These state-level activities are helping to keep the US at pace – and even ahead in some applications – of determined and growing international competition in the fuel cell space. The new report, State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2011, provides comprehensive state-by-state coverage of policies, deployments, installations, and funding occurring in the past year, as well as more fuel cell resources in the Appendices. Since April 2010 more than 50 MW of stationary fuel cells have been installed or
July 2011
purchased, with a dozen current (or soon to be commissioned) fuel cell installations in the MW range in California alone, and 1500 fuel cell forklifts deployed or ordered in the US, according to Fuel Cells 2000. In its 2010 report, Fuel Cells 2000 singled out California, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina as leaders in moving the industry forward in the US [FCB, May 2010]. These ‘Top 5’ states continue their reign in 2011, but five ‘Up and Coming’ states – Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, and Texas – are hot on their heels. Download the report for free: www.fuelcells.org/statereport.html Fuel Cells 2000: www.fuelcells.org
Hydrogenics wraps up Ontario utility-scale grid stabilization trial
C
anadian hydrogen generation and fuel cell manufacturer Hydrogenics has successfully completed an innovative trial with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), to demonstrate the viability of its electrolyzer technology for utility-scale grid stabilization. During the trial period, the load from a Hydrogenics HySTAT™ electrolyzer provided frequency regulation in Ontario by responding to power regulation signals from the IESO on a second-by-second basis. The IESO’s Alternative Technologies for Regulation Demonstration Project started last summer [FCB, August 2010]. The IESO and Hydrogenics used an electrolyzer installed at the Hydrogenics facility in Mississauga to demonstrate how the hydrogen equipment follows regulation signals in a realworld scenario. This demonstrated better balancing of electrical supply and demand while alleviating local transmission constraints. ‘Hydrogenics’ ability to provide regulation services demonstrates the success of finding new ways to balance supply and demand on a second-by-second basis,’ says Bruce Campbell, vice president of resource integration for the IESO. Hydrogenics will now apply this knowledge in the development of MW-scale energy storage applications using hydrogen technology.
Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com Independent Electricity System Operator, Ontario: www.ieso.ca
UK investment to accelerate introduction of hydrogen, fuel cells
A
new £7.5 million (US$12.1 million) demonstrator program in the UK will help to speed up the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and bring them into everyday use. The new funding was revealed at a showcase demonstration of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies at City Hall in London. The government-backed Technology Strategy Board initiative will show how fuel cell systems and hydrogen technologies could be used in low-carbon energy and transport systems. The aim is to help businesses integrate these technologies with other energy and transport components, such as renewable energies or refueling infrastructure, to develop whole systems and show them working together. The initiative will also strengthen the UK’s capability in the fuel cell and hydrogen energy sectors, support the development of strategic partnerships, and attract international businesses. The showcase event highlighted how innovation in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies has advanced significantly as a result of an earlier £7 million ($11.3 million) program funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and delivered by the Technology Strategy Board. The new competition for funding – Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Whole System Integration and Demonstration – will open in January 2012. ‘The new competition is designed to help business-led consortia develop innovative, large-scale, application-led projects that integrate hydrogen and fuel cell systems with key elements of our energy and transport systems and the wider built environment,’ says David Bott, TSB’s director of innovation programs. Companies participating in the showcase event included ACAL Energy, Air Products, the Arcola Theatre, Ceres Power, Diverse Energy, Intelligent Energy, ITM Power, Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells, and Ove Arup & Partners. Technology Strategy Board: www.innovateuk.org Technology Strategy Board, Funding Competitions: www.innovateuk.org/competitions/competitionsearch. ashx Department of Energy and Climate Change: www.decc.gov.uk
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9
State activities keep US in global fuel cell race, says new report
A
new report by the non-profit information provider Fuel Cells 2000 confirms that America’s fuel cell footprint is still growing fast, strongly supported by state-level activities. These state-level activities are helping to keep the US at pace – and even ahead in some applications – of determined and growing international competition in the fuel cell space. The new report, State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2011, provides comprehensive state-by-state coverage of policies, deployments, installations, and funding occurring in the past year, as well as more fuel cell resources in the Appendices. Since April 2010 more than 50 MW of stationary fuel cells have been installed or
July 2011
purchased, with a dozen current (or soon to be commissioned) fuel cell installations in the MW range in California alone, and 1500 fuel cell forklifts deployed or ordered in the US, according to Fuel Cells 2000. In its 2010 report, Fuel Cells 2000 singled out California, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina as leaders in moving the industry forward in the US [FCB, May 2010]. These ‘Top 5’ states continue their reign in 2011, but five ‘Up and Coming’ states – Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, and Texas – are hot on their heels. Download the report for free: www.fuelcells.org/statereport.html Fuel Cells 2000: www.fuelcells.org
Hydrogenics wraps up Ontario utility-scale grid stabilization trial
C
anadian hydrogen generation and fuel cell manufacturer Hydrogenics has successfully completed an innovative trial with Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), to demonstrate the viability of its electrolyzer technology for utility-scale grid stabilization. During the trial period, the load from a Hydrogenics HySTAT™ electrolyzer provided frequency regulation in Ontario by responding to power regulation signals from the IESO on a second-by-second basis. The IESO’s Alternative Technologies for Regulation Demonstration Project started last summer [FCB, August 2010]. The IESO and Hydrogenics used an electrolyzer installed at the Hydrogenics facility in Mississauga to demonstrate how the hydrogen equipment follows regulation signals in a realworld scenario. This demonstrated better balancing of electrical supply and demand while alleviating local transmission constraints. ‘Hydrogenics’ ability to provide regulation services demonstrates the success of finding new ways to balance supply and demand on a second-by-second basis,’ says Bruce Campbell, vice president of resource integration for the IESO. Hydrogenics will now apply this knowledge in the development of MW-scale energy storage applications using hydrogen technology.
Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com Independent Electricity System Operator, Ontario: www.ieso.ca
UK investment to accelerate introduction of hydrogen, fuel cells
A
new £7.5 million (US$12.1 million) demonstrator program in the UK will help to speed up the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and bring them into everyday use. The new funding was revealed at a showcase demonstration of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies at City Hall in London. The government-backed Technology Strategy Board initiative will show how fuel cell systems and hydrogen technologies could be used in low-carbon energy and transport systems. The aim is to help businesses integrate these technologies with other energy and transport components, such as renewable energies or refueling infrastructure, to develop whole systems and show them working together. The initiative will also strengthen the UK’s capability in the fuel cell and hydrogen energy sectors, support the development of strategic partnerships, and attract international businesses. The showcase event highlighted how innovation in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies has advanced significantly as a result of an earlier £7 million ($11.3 million) program funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change and delivered by the Technology Strategy Board. The new competition for funding – Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Whole System Integration and Demonstration – will open in January 2012. ‘The new competition is designed to help business-led consortia develop innovative, large-scale, application-led projects that integrate hydrogen and fuel cell systems with key elements of our energy and transport systems and the wider built environment,’ says David Bott, TSB’s director of innovation programs. Companies participating in the showcase event included ACAL Energy, Air Products, the Arcola Theatre, Ceres Power, Diverse Energy, Intelligent Energy, ITM Power, Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells, and Ove Arup & Partners. Technology Strategy Board: www.innovateuk.org Technology Strategy Board, Funding Competitions: www.innovateuk.org/competitions/competitionsearch. ashx Department of Energy and Climate Change: www.decc.gov.uk
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9